As a USC educator, Wayne Brady delivers improv comedy insights to students

Belilty isn’t taken aback by much. As a major in theater focusing on acting at the USC School of Dramatic Arts, Belilty comes from an environment filled with rehearsed dialogues and memorized scripts. This is why the idea of improvisation was daunting.

To complete their degree, Belilty must enroll in the School of Dramatic Arts’ “Camera and Improvisation” class. For Belilty’s initial experience with improv—an art centered around responding to the unpredictable— the first day of class proved to be an ideal lesson. No instructor was listed for the course, so upon arriving for their first class of the semester, students faced a significant surprise: Wayne Brady was their educator.

“I had my very personal fangirl moment, since I didn’t wish to unnerve him,” laughed Belilty, who uses they/them pronouns. “It was truly astonishing to walk in and see Wayne Brady instructing.”

Brady is widely recognized for his long-term participation in the improv comedy program Whose Line Is It Anyway?, his theatrical performances in The Wiz and Kinky Boots, along with hosting Let’s Make a Deal. Nonetheless, he has been a teacher for arguably longer than his entertainment career: He commenced teaching improv courses in his late teenage years. Presently, the Emmy Award recipient has entered the academic domain, aspiring to share his extensive expertise with his pupils while also gaining insights from their distinct experiences.

“I have a passion for teaching. I believe the arts is one of the few professions where the more you share the knowledge you possess, the better it benefits you,” expressed Brady. “Witnessing others apply the concepts you discuss is motivational, and then you step onto the stage and perform. It’s this extraordinary loop.”

Wayne Brady at USC: A journey of acting and education

This curriculum differs from any conventional improv classes Brady has led before, as it emphasizes acting, with improvisation as a secondary component.

“The entire curriculum is designed to provide them with an actor’s viewpoint on auditioning, dissecting a script, and using improv techniques to develop their characters,” Brady stated. “It’s unique because it’s all aimed at aiding them in their professional pursuits.”

Brady comprehends the aspirations of the emerging actors he mentors because he has walked a similar path. Having begun his improv journey in Florida when he was just a bit younger than most of the students he currently instructs, Brady has also taught classes at the SAK Comedy Lab in Orlando, Fla., and distinctly recalls the discomfort associated with teaching something he had only recently begun to practice.

“Even during that time, I recognized that I had a knack for the dynamics of play, the science
“`of improvisation,” he stated.

Brady harnessed that talent for “play” into a flourishing profession in the entertainment industry. Beyond his 21-season tenure on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, he also presented The Wayne Brady Show and Fox’s Don’t Forget the Lyrics! Additionally, Brady held a recurring part on How I Met Your Mother, along with guest spots on The Masked Singer, Chappelle’s Show, and Dancing with the Stars. He is also affiliated with Freestyle Love Supreme, an improv comedy hip-hop ensemble that has partnered with Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.

“I informed them on the first day of class, ‘I’m addressing future professionals, so I will treat you accordingly,’” Brady remarked. “I’m sharing insights that — after 35 years in the entertainment field — I am confident will be effective.”

The invitation to academia and mentoring the upcoming generation

For Brady, the path to instructing the “Camera and Improvisation” course began with an unfulfilled opportunity.

Last year, the School of Dramatic Arts extended an invitation to Brady to address its graduation ceremony, but owing to his engagement with The Wiz on Broadway, he could not be present. When Brady inquired about how he might compensate the school, the officials suggested if he would consider conducting a master class on campus. “I seized the opportunity to come and conduct a master class, and it was an overwhelming success,” Brady shared. “It was such an enjoyable experience that I began discussions with the department about the possibility — daydreaming, really — of teaching a [semester-long] course here?”

In January, he commenced teaching as a faculty member at USC — unbeknownst to his pupils until the inaugural day of class. Belilty and Brady both chuckle at the memory today.

“I entered the room, and thought, ‘Why does he seem familiar? What is happening?’” Belility recalled. “Then it suddenly clicked, and I simply exclaimed, ‘Oh my gosh, this is truly surreal.’”

For many other students, there was a distinct sense of admiration in the classroom, which Brady noted needed to be addressed. While he values that numerous students are fans of his work, he is pleased that as students acclimated to the course over a few weeks, he transitioned from Wayne Brady to Professor Brady, and ultimately — as he prefers it — just Wayne.

“In the first class, I aimed to set all that aside, because I don’t want their experience to be influenced,” Brady expressed. “As soon as I step onto this campus and into that classroom, my goal is to serve. I’m here to contribute to your education.”

For students like Belilty, walking into class to see an Emmy awardee as your teacher is precisely why they chose USC.

“It’s a distinctly USC experience,” Belilty commented. “I’m extremely thankful for the chance to learn from Wayne. He provides such valuable insights, is incredibly humorous, and excels in his craft — it is genuinely invigorating and motivating to be in his class.”

For Brady, participating in that experience for students is the reason there is no other place he would prefer to teach.

“I admire the USC [dramatic arts] department so much that I aspire, at some point, to return to school, and I want to do it here,” Brady remarked. “So, being at USC and on the faculty — what a fantastic entry into the community here.”